United
by geniakay
Summary: Todd, Evangeline, and an intruding Blair rush off to Chicago in search of Todd's lost son he fathered with Margret...I am putting this story on hiatus...whether temporary or permanent, I'm not certain as of now. Thanks for reading this much.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: This story was written as a different viewpoint as to what Todd should do about finding his son in Chicago. This is my first attempt at posting a Todd and Evangeline story. Please read and enjoy. **

**UNITED**

Written by geniakay

Prologue

Todd wanted to protect Evangeline so he refused to let her go with him to Chicago. Although he desperately wanted and needed her strength; what he needed more was for her to see him for the man he was trying to be. And all that could be changed if she saw what he was capable of and willing to do to get his son back.

He never figured on Blair being so willing to help him, so when he saw her on the plane, he was filled with a plethora of emotions – none that he wanted to share…well maybe he would share them with one special person, he thought with a slight smile on his face.

At one time he would have plotted, schemed, and even killed for his family…his family that included Blair, but that was now his past. He felt anxious but surprisingly relieved to realize with great certainty that Blair no longer held his heart captive. So being in Chicago with Blair was somewhat unnerving for him because he didn't know what scheme or scam Blair was plotting, but if using Blair to get his son back was what he had to do then he'd just have to do it. He just hoped Evangeline would understand and forgive him.

Chapter 1

"Damn!" Todd bellowed in frustration. He had been calling Evangeline for a straight hour after he and Blair had checked into the hotel room. He wanted to let her know about Blair before she found out some other way and everything would become one big and messy misunderstanding causing Evangeline doubt his feelings for her. "Blair would just love that," he thought. But most importantly he just needed to hear his sweet Evangeline's voice.

"Knock, knock!" Todd opens the door. "Blair," he groaned out.

"Todd you should have gotten us at least adjoining rooms so we could be close together as we try to find you son."

"I don't want to be close to you."

"I know…you want your precious little Evangeline. But she isn't here. I AM!"

"She's not here because I asked her not to come. I need to protect her. She doesn't need to be around all this or me when I do what has to be done to get my kid back."

"Yeah right, Todd. If she felt anything more than friendship for you, she'd be here for you…no matter what you have to do to get you son back. She'd be here just like I am, Todd," Blair ended sweetly.

Before he could respond about what he and Evangeline feel for each other was none of her damn business, there was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Todd roughly said as he flung the door open. Standing before him was the most unexpected and glorious surprise he could have ever hoped for. His heart was just warmed.

"Hi, Todd," She said as she flung herself into his arms, "Did you miss me?" she continued in her flirtatious sassy voice that she often used when in conversation with Todd.

In pleasurable shock, Todd only responded by pulling Evangeline even tighter against his body so she could really feel how glad he was to see here and wasn't able to that quirky smile of his plastered on his face. Nor would she be able the see that sense of great relief welled up in his eyes just because "his sweet Evangeline" was there for him when he really needed her.

Although Evangeline didn't see any of those emotions, she did feel both of them relax into their embrace. "This is where I'm supposed to be. I'm glad I decided to come anyway," Evangeline happily thought. Blair stood in the background and watched everything causing her to have bubble in anger and jealousy and produce a nastily bitter disposition. Blair knew she had to find a way to get rid of Evangeline if she ever had a chance of convincing Todd that they should give it one my try. She interrupted the heart warming scene, "Who's at the door, Todd?"


	2. Chapter 2

United 

Chapter 2

Todd's Hotel Room in Chicago 

"Who's at the door, Todd?" When Todd heard those words spoken by his once beloved – now his forever present and persistent thorn in his side – he just closed his eyes and groaned. Evangeline heard the words and instantly knew who had voiced them. Slightly shocked and totally embarrassed, she pulled away from Todd. Watching the scene play out, Blair instantly shut her mouth, hid her smirk, and thought about how she was going to get rid of Evangeline so she could prove to Todd she was worthy of one more chance at his trust and loyalty, but most importantly his love.

Even as quick as Todd was, he could find no words that could make the unbearably awkward silence that hung in the room of three lives that were going to forever be intertwined from this moment on. When Todd saw the hurt in "his" Evangeline's face, he knew then without any reservations that he loved Evangeline and he would spend the rest of his life proving it to her or he would at least die trying.

With grace that would rival any lineage of royalty the beautifully intelligent lawyer of modest upbringing quickly covered her hurt and put on her mask of professionalism and strength. Briefly she wondered why seeing Blair with Todd was more hurtful than seeing John with Natalie right after she had released him from any misplaced obligation he felt for her by breaking up with him. Seeing the man that she had given her heart to parading around with his new lady love, who was also the woman with whom she had no respect and a strongly quiet dislike for, had mentally and physically hurt her. But seeing Todd in his hotel room with Blair, his ex-wife who was also the very same woman that continually betrayed him and most recently with her very on ex-boyfriend, Christian, had her reeling with an agony that was ten times worse. Quickly Evangeline adjusted and covered her pain.

No one knew how she felt about Todd. Everyone in town knew Todd had a more than a friendly attachment to her…but no one knew of her feelings. Hell she barely knew or rather she barely wanted to admit them. However, she had rushed to the airport then to Chicago on an impulse after Todd had left her apartment. Today she had decided that she would tell him about her feelings. Then they would find out TOGETHER if they could have something special between them. Then they would follow up on this lead for Todd's son to see if it really was legitimate. That was the plan, well it was at least before she found herself at the hotel room with Todd who was obviously still with Blair. She chided herself, "he told me that he didn't want me here to protect me…", "I should have listened, now my feelings are hurt and I look like a fool," she thought. " I will quickly offer her assistance the leave with some of her dignity still in tact."

But it was too late…

Todd, who knew he could read Evangeline far better than any of her past lover ever could, detected that hint of anguish and regret in her soulful and sultry brown eyes before her stoic mask was placed securely back on face. The reason Todd could read Evangeline so well was because he always knew that it was her eyes and not her face that told who she really was and what she was really feeling. As cliché' as it sounded, she really did have eyes that were windows to her soul and no matter how much outward strength she showed, her eyes would also tell of her inner vulnerability. He missed those eyes when she was blind. He missed the sparkle of happiness, the glint of determination, the ray of strength, even missed the speck of grief that would all flash through her expressive brown eyes that had been replaced with the dull gazes of her blindness. And it was his own selfish need to see those radiant eyes, which was his driving force behind finding her a doctor that could heal her eyes more than his generosity as Evangeline had thought. Everything had worked out…well almost everything.

Standing in the doorway of this hotel room, Todd knew that he would have to let Blair, but most importantly Evangeline, know that he had fell in love with Evangeline. Her kindness and generosity, her unforgettable loyalty and concern, and her brave actions gave him feelings for her that often overwhelmed him, but it was her allowance of him to see her soul through her eyes that doomed him to fall in love with her. It was that realization that hit him like a ton of bricks. But he still couldn't react…he just stood there in the doorway of the hotel with the gravity of that realization playing on his mind. It wasn't until he saw her retreating away from the doorway and the bitchy tone of Blair's voice, "Thanks, but Todd and I have this taken care of. We will look out for our family…" did he react.

"Evangeline…please wait. I can explain…" Todd said in a panic as she was out the door. To his surprise she turned around. "Todd you don't owe me anything. You don't have to explain. Blair's finally right, you two can figure out how to protect your family." Sadly she added, "There's no reason for me to be here."

"That's right, so leave and I'll make sure Todd sends you a nice fat check for your efforts."

"SHUT UP, Blair. I mean it, Evangeline please don't go. Stay."

"Why, Todd?" Evangeline quietly asked. This was emotionally becoming too much for her.

"Don't go Evangeline," he said as he slowly and carefully approached her as if he felt she would flee. He reached out and touched the lapel of her jacket. When he saw that she wasn't retreating from his touch, he stepped closer and said to her a little bit above a whisper, "Don't go. I need you and ONLY YOU. I WANT you here and ONLY YOU.'


End file.
